welcome back, Captain
by Remi-it-is-a-girl's-name
Summary: a cure is found for Captain America's cellular breakdown, and he comes to live at the institute. rating and summary may or may not change.
1. Chapter 1

**So I've had this idea for a while and figured I'd better get it out of my head so I can concentrate on _loss of powers._ This story is totally separate from both _loss of powers _and _demon's past._Nothing that happened in those stories happened in this one, except X23 is at the Institute. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, just the plot. Don't sue me. (Pretty please?)**

Chapter 1

He felt groggy, this wasn't right, he was never like this, always alert from the moment he woke up. He wanted to sit up. Too hard, too hard how he didn't know but-

"He's awake sir." Came a voice. But from whom? He had figured out by this point that he was lying on his back. Someone stood over him.

"Cap? Can you hear me?"

He tried to speak, he managed to but it was hard.

"Where- where am I? I-I can't move."

"We strapped you down in case you tried to flail around, sorry Rogers. There. Try moving now."

He could. He sat up, slightly more alert now, but he was in pain, he had been in pain when he'd fallen asleep. When had he gone to sleep?

He looked at the man. He was familiar. Cap knew him.

"Jack Fury?"

"No, Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Jack was my father. You've been asleep a long time Cap. Let me explain; after one mission, you just collapsed and wouldn't get up; the only way to save you was to put you into chronic suspension until a cure was found. That was about sixty years ago."

Cap lay back down. Sixty years?

"Did we win the war?" he asked

"Yes, we did."

"I guess everyone I knew is either dead or really old by now, huh?"

"Not quite Rogers." Said a rough voice. Cap looked up and saw another familiar person standing there

"Logan? Or are you someone's kid too?"

"Oh I'm someone's kid, just not Logan's. It's me."

He looked exactly the same. Not very tall but a strong build, rough look to him, and hair so dark it looked almost blue.

"How are you so young?"

"Well, Nick, what did the government know about-"

"Nothing. S.H.I.E.L.D. found out just ten years later."

"Alright then. Cap, I'm something called a mutant; we've got special powers. I have regenerative abilities, so I don't age. Ever."

"Wow."

"Yeah. That's not all but I'll show you my other, uh, power, later. It can be nice though, I live at school for mutants, and we've got our own sort of super hero team made out of the institute's students I'm their resident sadistic trainer." Said Wolverine.

"Figures." Steve Rogers was sitting fully up now. Sixty years?

"So what now?" he asked.

"Cap, a nurse will be in in a moment to start administering the cure we found, it's administered as a gas through a mask. And we've made arrangements for you too. You are going to live with Logan at that school for now. We may approach you later about joining S.H.I.E.L.D but not until you're mostly comfortable in modern society." Said Nick Fury.

"When can I leave?"

"Tomorrow." Said Nick Fury heading toward the door with Logan. Logan turned for a moment and said,

"Hey Rogers?"

"Yeah?"

"Welcome back, Captain America."

**The next day**

Steve had been given a few sets of clothes, his uniform, or as Logan used to call it, his 'costume' (although supposedly Logan wore a costume of his own now.) And, of course, his shield. According to Nick Fury, it was still indestructible by modern standards. Now they were in some type of car and driving away.

"What's it like Logan?" asked Steve.

"What? The institute? The world?"

"Being a mutant."

"Well most people hate our guts, some want to pass laws against using our powers in public and stuff like that. And there's one guy who thinks we should all be registered and hauled into containment camps."

"I'd like to meet that guy."

"You probably will."

They were going faster than Cap thought a car could go.

"What about Hydra?"

"There still around, barely, most of their bases were destroyed recently, and by a kid too."

"Tough kid."

"You bet she is."

"So you know her?" asked Cap. "That's amazing! Is she a mutant?"

"You bet." Said Logan smirking, "she's my daughter."

"Your daughter?" asked Steve, shocked. "You have got to be joking."

"Sorta. Technically she's not but we say she is, it's easier. Hydra got a hold of a damaged sample of my DNA and cloned her from it."

"How is that possible?"

"A whole lot of stuff is possible Cap, some of it ain't so good."

They arrived at the Institute. A big, old looking building, even though Logan had told him that it had been re-built very recently.

Logan parked the car and got out. Cap did the same. Then two girls came running up.

One had a black shirt on and jeans. She was tan and with brown hair and brown eyes. She looked a little bit like Logan somehow.

The other was short. She had lighter brown hair, blue eyes and fair skin. She was wearing a pink short-sleeved shirt with tight fitting pants. Girls hardly ever wore pants when Cap had been awake last. It was just another change.

"Is Kurt in here?" asked the tan-skinned one.

"You'd smell him if he was Laura, and we just got here." Said Logan.

"Hi." Said the other girl to Cap. "I'm Kitty Pryde. You must be, like, the guy who the Professor said was, like, coming here for awhile."

"Yes, I am. My name is Steven Rogers."

"That sounds super familiar." Said Kitty. "Anyway, this is Laura Kinney, well sorta, after the papers get through she'll be Laura Logan."

"Kitty, Laura, there's something you have to know. You'd find out later, but as long as you're here-" Started Logan.

"Oh I just remembered where I heard that name before! That was, like, Captain America's name!" said Kitty.

"Makes sense," said Steve "I am Captain America."

"No way. You'd be, like, dead."

"Chronic suspension." Said Laura simply. "I can still smell it on him."

"How would you know what chronic suspension smells like?" asked Kitty. But then,

BAMF!

"_Guten tag, Katzchen_, Laura." Said Kurt.

"Kurt! There you are! You will not believe this! Logan said that this guy, is Captain America and he's not lying!"

"Vhoa seriously! Vell then, Hi! I'm Kurt Wagner. Sorry if I creeped you Vith how I look, _und_ the teleporting. "

German. He was German. And somehow Cap couldn't get over it. He could get used to blue fur, a tail and everything else odd about the teenager, but he couldn't get over that he was _German_.

He couldn't even bring himself to say hello.

Logan must have realized it because he said, "Kitty take Cap up to Guest room 3, Laura go with them. I have to talk to Kurt."

"Okay, follow me." Said Kitty to Cap, "Like, see you later Kurt, assuming you survive." And the three of them headed off.

"Kurt, while Cap's here, don't speak any German, got it?" said Logan

"Vhy?" said Kurt, a little bit confused; both at Logan's request and Captain America's stand offish-ness.

"Figure it out Elf; last time Cap was awake Adolph Hitler was trying to take over the world. When someone said the word German, people thought of Nazis. That's the world Cap remembers, he said he can deal with any physical aspects of people's mutation, but I don't think that he'll be able to deal with you being German right away." Said Logan.

Kurt was shocked, people freaked out because he had fur and a tail. No one hated him for being German.

"But I'll still have an accent, and I'll still be German." Pointed out Kurt.

"Yeah but still, just don't speak German, it's just one more thing for Cap to deal with." Said Logan and then turned and left.

Kurt sat for a moment before leaving too. Captain America was his hero, he thought that Cap was amazing and Cap….

Associated Germans with Nazis.

"So this is your room." Said Kitty opening the door to one of the guest rooms.

"thank you." Said Steve and put his bag on his bed.

_X men, please come to the war room .I'd like you to meet our guest. _A voice said. Captain America jumped up.

"What was that?"

"Oh that was just the Prof." Said Kitty, "he's a telepath so he can, like, speak into your head and stuff like that."

"I'm heading down to the war room, see you down there." Said Laura and took off.

"Yeah, we'd better go too." Said Kitty, "Come on, I'll show you where the War Room is." They left the room.

"You know," said Kitty when they got to the elevator, "my Great-Grandma said, before she died, that when she was like, fifteen you and some other person, from the Canadian forces broke her and some other out of a polish concentration camp."

"I remember that." Said Captain America.

"Yeah, I just figured I should tell you thanks for that, because otherwise I wouldn't exist." Said Kitty.

"You're welcome, but there's someone else you have to thank as well." Said Cap. "You have to thank Logan too, he was the guy with me."

**You like? Now that I have the first part of this out of my head I can go back to working on what I really want to do _loss of powers!_ (:**


	2. Chapter 2

**Lord Destroyer: while the scientific term is "cryonic suspension", people have spelled it: "chronic suspension" enough that both ways are acceptable. Either way I'll probably start spelling it cryonic. Thanks for pointing that out.**

The "war room" was probably pretty big, but there were so many people in it that it was a little hard to tell. There were screens on the walls, like television sets, but the pictures were clearer and in color.

Cap looked around; most of the people in the room appeared to be teenagers. All of different races, and all dressed differently too. Some had on black body suits with things that looked like shields with Xs on them on the shoulders, and yellow gloves and boots. Except a few of the ones wearing body suits had ones that looked different.

A few people caught his eye, first a tall, pale girl with purple eye shadow and purple lipstick on, her clothes were dark colors too and she wore gloves.

There was a boy with light brown hair who was talking and joking with some of the kids near the back of the room. He was holding what looked like a small glass figure, no wait, it was made of ice?

There were two young adults, probably only a few years older than the others in the room, a girl with red hair and green eyes dress in a body suit with a green stripe running vertically down the middle standing next to a tall, thin boy that was probably the same age who was wearing red sunglasses… that looked like they were glowing a little bit.

A middle-aged man in a wheelchair entered the room. Followed by an African women and someone very unexpected, a man who looked quite honestly like a blue ape.

_The man in the wheelchair must be Professor Xavier._ Thought Cap.

"Everyone," began Xavier, "I would like you to meet the guest I told you about last night, his name is Mr. Rogers."

A short boy who was probably younger than everyone else snickered, the brown-haired boy Cap had noticed before shoved him a little bit, obviously meaning for him to be quiet.

"There's a children's Television show called _Mister Rogers neighborhood_." Whispered Kitty, who was still standing next to Steve Rogers.

"Hello." Said the redhead "I'm Jean Grey. Welcome to the Institute."

"Kids," said Logan. "There's some other things we have to tell you about Rogers, first you have to know that everything we're telling you, you are not to tell anyone, mutant or otherwise, got it?"

"Well what is it?" asked someone, an Asian girl.

"Steven?" said the professor.

"Alright, this is going to sound pretty unbelievable but…. I'm Captain America."

Twenty (give or take a few) shocked teens make a lot of noise.

"Everyone calm down!" said the Professor, "the Captain and Logan will explain!"

So Cap and Wolverine explained. They explained that Logan severed in WWII and about Cap cellular breakdown, and the Cryonic suspension.

"Whoa." Said Rogue when they were finished.

"Whoa is right." Said Logan. "Now, you all have got thing to do, but one of you has to help me show Cap around. Scott?"

The boy with the red glasses smiled and stepped forward.

"Alright, we're done here, if I remember correctly, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, X23, and Iceman have a danger room session." Said the Professor and then left the room, as did everyone else beside Logan, Cap, and Scott.

"Hey I'm Scott Summers." Said Scott, he put out his hand. Cap shook it.

"Hello. What did the Professor mean by a 'danger room session?'"

Wolverine and Cyclops looked at each other.

"I think that would be a good place to start." Said Wolverine.

A few minutes later Cap found himself up in a control room hanging above a large room with metal walls.

Down on the floor below were some of the teens from the war room. He recognized Kitty, whom he was guessing from her name was Shadowcat, a boy coated in what appeared to be ice, so he must be Iceman. Laura, Cap guessed that she was x23, and a Caucasian with blue hair. The boy pressed something on his wrist and suddenly changed into the German boy Cap had met earlier. He had to be Nightcrawler.

"Alright," Said Logan into what appeared to be a microphone of some sort. "The object of today's session is to get to the center of the maze and press the button, the tough part is you aren't allowed to take anyone out. Understood?"

A chorus of "yes" came form below.

"Logan, what maze?" asked Cap.

Scott smiled, "This one." And pressed a series of buttons causing the room to seem to change. It did become a maze, a maze of streets and each of the students in a different place.

There were screens in the control room that showed the students. People started to appear from around corners and attacked the students. Cap briefly thought about plunging through the glass, but Logan stopped him.

"Relax Rogers, they're just robots, I can shut 'em all off if anyone gets hurt. Now you might wanna watch, you'll get to see these kids powers and have an idea of what they can do."

Shadowcat simply walked through they droids, careful not to short out their systems.

Iceman caused ice to shoot in a beam from his hands and made a bridge high enough up so that the robots couldn't get to him.

Nightcrawler teleported around them and then ran away, walking on the wall. Cap realized that he was disappointed, as if he had wanted the boy to fail.

X23 seemed to have it worse; she wasn't using her powers, which led Steven to believe that hers must have been more useful for offense combat. She found a way around though, mostly by jumping over (yes, over) the droids and simply shoving them, without damaging them.

All four reached the center a few moments later. They all hit the button and the scene faded.

"Nice work." Logan said into the microphone. "Laura, next time, no tossing your opponents out of your way, from now on that will count as harming them in simulations like this. Shadowcat, tonight I wanna see you run this again, without your powers."

"But I've got homework." Protested Kitty.

"you wouldn't be doing it, I'll se you here this evening for a power free session, you too Nightcrawler."

"What about me?" asked Iceman.

"Bobby, I saw you stick your tongue out at the droids after you got around them, you're an X _man _so quit acting like a child. You're all dismissed."

After that Scott and Logan showed the entire Institute and its grounds to Cap. Steven was amazed, everything seemed so high tech to him, things that they seemed to take for granted. And on top of that, everyone had amazing powers, like him.

_Except I was treated like a hero and they get treated like freaks._ Thought Cap, that didn't seem fair to him at all, they were just like him, so why had the world treated him differently, or would the world treat him the way they treated mutants now in this thoroughly different time?

"Well I have to go." Said Scott, "Jean's probably waiting, bye." He staid and ran off.

"Jean's his girlfriend." Explained Logan.

"Ah." Said Cap. Then he remembered something. "Logan, you said you had another powers, what is it?"

Logan sighed, "it's not quite a powers, at least, not like you think." Logan held out his hands, clenched into fists, in front of him, "I wasn't born with it, people did it to me. Only they erased my memory, so I don't know who they are or why they did it. Only that they did." And with that Logan unsheathed his claws.

Cap was shocked. His friend had metal claws, how was this possible and why would some do it to him?

"Laura's got this too." Said Cap, "Hydra found out about me and cloned her so they would have someone who could survive the bonding process."

"Bonding process?"

"Bonding of metal to both her skeleton and mine." He sheathed his claws and looked at Rogers. "You hate the elf." He said.

"who's the elf?" asked Cap.

"Kurt. You can't stand that he's German."

Cap sighed. "No, I can't. I should be able to. I mean, it was sixty years ago, it's not fair to hate him for something that he didn't do."

Logan gave a sort of half smile. "At least you admit it, that means you'll be able to get over it, eventually."

"yeah," said Cap returning the smile, "I hope that comes soon."

_Magnus, I know you can hear me._

_Charles?_

_Yes, many years ago you told me about some of your experiences during the war._

_What of it?_

_There is a man now living at the Institute whom you said saved your life during the war, perhaps you'd like to meet him._

_He'd be ancient._

_But he's not, he's been kept young, I'm sure you can figure out how._

_I believe I know whom you mean, but to be sure, what's his name?_

_Captain America_

**Sorry for not updating in awhile, I got super busy and when I had time to write, I found I had writers block but it's gone now and I'll be updating all of my stories more frequently.**


	3. Chapter 3

**If you're reading this… then review! **

**And for anyone who was reading _loss of powers;_ my muse for it died so it has been abandoned until I finish my other projects. **

Cap had been at the Institute for three days, and he still wasn't used to hardly anything.

Things that the students took for granted, or thought of as obsolete he didn't understand at all.

So far he had spent most of his time in his room or in their training area, the 'danger room'. And he was still avoiding Kurt. It wasn't Kurt's fault, and Cap knew that. So why did Cap think of the Nazis he seen and the people they'd killed whenever Kurt spoke?

_Steven, would you come to my office please? _Came the Professor's voice. At least Cap had gotten used to that.

"You wanted to see me Professor?" said Cap as he entered Xavier's office.

"Yes. Now, back during the war, did you ever meet someone by the name of Erich Lensherr?"

Cap was about to say no, when he remembered. He and Logan had once freed a Nazi polish containment camp; one of the prisoners had been a young boy, named Erich. Erich Lensherr.

"Yes I did. We -Logan and I- freed him from a concentration camp in Poland."

"Well he is still alive, and I know him personally. He's also a mutant and a very powerful one at that. He had told me about you, when you freed him. And for good or ill I opted to tell him about you."

"But Professor-"

"Yes I know, we are not supposed to tell anyone about you, but you were always important to him. He's asked if he can meet you."

Cap thought about the young boy he and Logan had saved along with others. How old would he be now? Maybe he was like Logan and didn't age.

"Alright. When?"

"Two days from now."

Kurt stared out the window. It had been five days since Captain America had come to the institute, and the past week hadn't been very pleasant for Kurt either.

Captain America hated him. Sure, he hadn't said that, or even said anything to imply it, but Kurt knew he did. He saw Cap wince when he talked, he noticed Cap deliberately staying as far away from him as possible, he had seen Cap seemed disappointed even when Kurt did well in danger room sessions, and Kurt had noticed Cap seem surprised that he and Kitty were close. Kurt didn't figure that one out until yesterday. Kitty was Jewish, Hitler had hated Jews and had many put to death, by his _German_ Nazis.

"_Mister Wagner_!" the teacher practically yelled. Kurt looked up.

"Vha?" The class laughed.

The teacher rolled her eyes, "I asked for you to say on what date did the Nazi party surrender in World War II?"

"Uhh…." Stammered Kurt. Some kid in the back of class raised his hand.

"Yes." Called the teacher

"I don't think it's fair to ask Kurt about Nazis, he probably learned it all different."

"Yeah how?" piped up a girl with blue streaks, " 'oh it wasn't our fault! The Allies started it! Oh woe is Germany!' " Everyone started laughing.

Great. Thought Kurt, _More _grief about being German, he hadn't even been born then! He didn't think he was even biologically German!

The bell rang.

Kurt walked down the hallway and met up with Kitty for their next class. And as they were walking down the hallway some guy shoved Kitty so he could get passed them.

"You know there was the entire rest of the hallway!" yelled Kitty. The guy whipped around.

"And why should I move for you? Stupid mutie!"

"Hey leave her alone!" said Nightcrawler.

"Yeah, or what?" said the guy and he grabbed Kurt's wrist and twisted it around.

Sparks flew from the image inducer as it shorted out. There was a collective gasp and then a bunch of confused conversations and yelling. Kurt glanced around. People were backing away from him, the boy, the mutant, who'd suddenly turned into a monster.

"What are you? Some kinda Demon?" Yelled the guy who'd broken Kurt's inducer. Kurt just hung his head and teleported away.

He teleported up to the roof, yes it was against the rules but he didn't care.

* * *

"So we're going to meet him here?" asked Cap, they were at a park. 'They' being himself, Xavier, and Logan.

"Yes, I can sense his mind already. There he is." Xavier gestured to a man walking toward them.

The man appeared to be about the same age as Xavier. He had grey hair and grey eyes. he approached them and said,

"Hello, I'm Erich Lensherr, and you must be Steven Rogers, a pleasure, a pleasure indeed." He extended his hand and Cap shook it.

"And hello also to you Charles. And Wolverine." Wolverine snarled.

"Hello Mister Lensherr. I'm also pleased to meet you." Said Cap

"Listen, I would like to speak with you alone if you don't mind." Said Magneto. Cap glanced over at Charles

_It's fine, go with him. _Said Xavier telepathically. So Cap and Magneto walked away down the path in the park.

"I would like to thank you for saving my life all those years ago." Said Magneto. "But there are other things that I must discuss with you also. Firstly, I know you have been at the Institute five days, has anyone mentioned a man by the name of Magneto in that time?"

The Professor, Logan, and Henry had explained to him some things about Magneto. Including how he had stolen a rebirth backup, and used it.

"Yes, several things." Said Cap.

"Many of them unpleasant I will assume. Well no matter. For you see I am Magneto, don't judge me on that yet; I have a side to the story too. I believe that mutants are the next step in human evolution, and as such should be above humanity as humans raised themselves above their forbearers."

"That sounds too much like Hitler's master race to me." Said Cap.

"Yes, I suppose at first glance it does sound that way. But it's not. Germans weren't really different or 'above' the rest of humanity, their physical, their genetic makeup was exactly the same as anyone else's. But mutants, we really are different; no one can deny that. We are above humans on the evolutionary scale, and yet people keep trying to oppress us. Am I making any sense to you."

"A little." Said Cap, "but why are you telling this to me? You're ideas might make a little sense, but so do the Professor's ideas of coexistence."

Magneto smiled. "I am telling you this because I am offering you a place in the world order that I plan to bring about. I know 'world order' sounds dreadful and oppressive, but I don't mean it like that. You would help me lead the world in a new age, one of peace, prosperity, and as perfect justice ascan be brought about. Also one where mutants are in control, in the way evolution dictates. What do you say to that?"

"It sounds like you're breaking your own principles. Even if I did say yes to your proposition I'm not a mutant. Assuming your 'world order' comes around, I wouldn't fit into it the way you're telling me now, would I?"

Magneto turned and faced Cap. "I would agree with that, except for one thing; You _are_ a mutant."

after qabreif moment of silence, "What?" was all Cap could manage to say.

"Allow me to explain. Most people on the planet posses what is called the X-gene. When it is dormant then the person is a regular human, _homo sapien_. But when it is active, the person is a mutant, _homo superior._ Although I doubt the men who design rebirth really understood what they were doing, they, shall we say, awakened your X-gene turning you into a mutant. Only your body didn't recognized the awakened X-gene and thought it was a dieses and tried to kill it. Unfortunately, your X-gene carried your genetic code, your DNA so your body started to kill itself, causing cellular breakdown."

Captain America's head has spinning, a mutant? him? Really? But then…

"Why didn't you experience cellular breakdown too? I know you used a rebirth backup."

"Because I already had an active X-gene, my body recognized what was happening when it became stronger. Besides, I had made my own 'rebirth' device before, I never had the chance to use it, but I did get the chance to see it used on someone else." Magneto looked Cap straight in the face, "what is your choice Steven?"

"I-I-" Captain America was at a total loss for words. Magneto smiled kindly.

"I understand, I will contact you soon Steven, have your answer when I do. But until then, goodbye Captain." And Magneto walked off, leaving Steven alone on the path with his confused thoughts.

**Sorry that it took me so long to update, summer is always super busy for me and I hardly find time to write. Anyways, I'll try to do better with updating my stories. **


	4. Chapter 4

**And here we go**

Steve walked back to where the Professor and Logan were waiting, head spinning.

"Well?" asked Logan. Cap looked around to make sure no one was listening, and then told them everything.

"A mutant? You?" asked Logan.

"It's not an illogical theory. It could very well be true." Said the Professor. "Let's go back to the Institute, We'll run some tests and see what we can find."

When they got back to the mansion the professor said, "Logan, Steven, I've informed Hank and he is waiting for you in the lab. I have to go speak with Kurt."

"What's the Elf doing home?"

"According to Hank, he's been suspended for using his powers in school."

* * *

"Hmmm." Said Hank "The X gene is definitely present, which isn't surprising, probably a lot of people had a dormant X gene in your generation. Of course, have an active X gene had only really become common in the last two generations, but since yours would have been artificially made active, it doesn't matter how common having an active X gene was by the point you were born. "

"So it is plausible." Said Cap.

"Very much so." Said Beast. "But I'm not able to determine whether it's the cause of your powers. I'm going to compare your blood sample with a sample of my own blood, and one of Logan's and see what I can find from that."

"And that'll take how long?" asked Logan.

"An hour. Hour and a half at the very most."

"Hey Logan?" said Cap.

"Yeah?"

"You were surprised when I mentioned that Magneto had put someone else through a rebirth machine."

"Was I?' said Logan, "well if that's how it looked, it's because I know who it was."

"Who?" asked Steve. "I mean, what if they're dying from cellular breakdown too. We could help them."

"He's not." Said Logan. "It's Kurt."

"And that's all that happened?" asked Xavier.

"Yes Professor." Said Kurt.

"Listen. What happened, wasn't your fault, but running away is never the answer." Said Xavier. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, it's just-" Kurt sighed.

"It's just what?

"I'm tired of being hated. For my powers, for how I look, for being German! Before vhen something bad happened at school I could just shake it off and know zat at ze end of ze day I'd be here, ze Institute, vith other mutants. Now vhen I come back and I have to deal vith knowing Captain America is here and hates me! I'm sick of it!" Kurt had stood up he sat back down, done ranting.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize that this upset you to this degree." Said the Professor. "Kurt. I'm going to talk to the school board about this, but in the meantime I have some things to discuss with you."

* * *

"VHAT?" yelled Kurt, he, the Professor, and Logan were all in the lab. They had just told him about the castle, and Magneto's experiments. And What Magneto had told the Captain that afternoon.

"Look, Elf, We don't know anything for sure, Magneto might have been lying, or talking about someone else." Said Logan.

"You don't really think that Volverine." Said Kurt.

"Kurt, we should have told you earlier, we're sorry." Said the Professor.

"Vhy didn't you just me vhen you first found out?" asked Kurt.

"Because you were still dealing with the fact that Mystique is your mother, you didn't need this then."

"But then, if what was done to me to give me my powers was also done to Kurt, then how come he never experienced cellular break down, like I did?" asked Cap.

"Maybe I really vas supposed to be mutant." Suggested Kurt.

Beast walked in. "I'm done. By comparing Steve's blood with samples of blood from people here at the institute was able to determine if his powers were the result of the X gene."

"Are they?" asked Cap. Beast looked him strait in the face.

"Yes."

"May I go?" asked Kurt. The Professor nodded his head and Kurt teleported off.

* * *

Kurt crouched on the balcony railing in his room. He had lived with his mutation all his life, the fur, the tail, all of it. And he'd learned to accept it. Now he was being told that he shouldn't have been this way.

Someone knocked.

"Come in." he said. Captain America came into the room.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked standing in the doorway out to the balcony

"Sure." Said Kurt.

Cap leaned on the balcony railing next to Kurt. "I wanted to apologize for the way I've treated you since I moved into the Institute. I've been cold and even nasty toward you merely because of Nazi's who are long dead who you only resemble in the way you talk. I'm sorry."

Kurt was surprised by the apology but he was glad for it.

"It's cool. Besides, You've been in cryonic suspension for sixty years stuff changes."

"Thanks." Said Cap.

"You know, you're my hero." Said Kurt. He knew it sounded Cheesy, but he had wanted to say it for awhile.

"Hey you X men are pretty much heroes yourselves, if everything I hear is true, you guys saved the world, no small feat."

" Vell you couls join up Zo are you gonna stay here now? Permanently I mean." Asked Kurt.

"I don't know, I hadn't really thought about it yet." He really hadn't. He'd assumed that his stay at the Institute would be temporary, but now, maybe, he could stay if he wanted to. He was a mutant. Cap excused himself and went to his own room. Thinking.

_So, Steve Rogers. What's it gonna be? S.H.I.E.L.D, The X-men? or..._

_Is there another option?_

**Okay, I think this tale is ready for a climax and an ending. unfortuantly i have no ideas for either at this time. So give me ideas in your REVEIWS about what you'd like to see happen.**


	5. Chapter 5

Rogue woke up, climbed out of bed and rushed down the hall. She could hear screaming, and while her general rule was that the only thing that could get her out of bed before nine-thirty on the weekends (and it was Saturday night) was if the mansion was on fire/ falling down/being attacked, she was willing to make an exception in this case. That was Kurt screaming.

When she got there Kurt had stopped screaming and Ororo and Hank was telling some of the other students to go back to bed, Kurt was sitting up, with Jean sitting next to him, doing something telepathically.

"Waht happened?" asked Rogue.

"We woke up from Kurt screaming, just like you did, Jean started working with him telepathically and hasn't stopped." said Hank.

"I'm done now." said Jean, "Will you be alright now Kurt?"

"_Ja _I guess." he said.

"Waht happened?" Rogue asked again, this time to Kurt.

"I don't know, I voke up and I couldn't breath, und vhen I could, zere vas pain, und, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to vake everyvone up."

"It's alright Kurt." said Ororo. "What did you do Jean?"

"I made him think he's not in pain. Really he still is, but his mind just isn't registering it anymore." said Jean.

"Thank you Jean." said the Professor, followed by both Wolverine and Cap. "You can go back to bed now, you too Rogue."

the girls both walked off to their rooms in silence until they got to Jean's room at which point Rogue said.

"Jean, is he really gonna be fahne? I mean, people don't scream like that unless thehy're in a loht of pain."

Jean looked at Rogue. "I don't know."

Everyone had just finished up a Danger Room session and was going back to their various activities, and Kitty and Rogue were leaving with each other

"I just feel so bad, since, like, you know, it's basically my fault that Kurt got suspended."

"Well as far as anyone can tell, he doesn't blame you. I hope he's okay though. I mean, after lahst night."

"Last night? Wait, was that like, him screaming? I thought I was dreaming."

"Well you weren't." said X-23 falling into step with the girls. "And if you're both worried about Kurt, than why not go and talk to him, he's in Beast's lab."

" Sounds good, because even if doesn't, like, blame me I still feel like I should apologize." said Kitty, so all three of them headed off.

When they were at the door to the lab Laura suddenly stopped them.

"Hey, what's your problem?" said Kitty.

"Listen." whisper hissed Laura,

"Thaht's eavsdroppin'" said Rogue.

"I know. Listen!" X-23 said, Kitty and Rogue gave in a leaned against the door.

"But it was only a little over a year before it was obvious what was happening to me, Kurt's fifteen." said someone who Rogue was pretty sure was Captain America.

"It's been almost two years since I've started teleporting." Kurt said.

"I can't be sure what happened last night, I have a blood sample from Kurt now, but I'm going to need time, about forty-eight hours to even be able to make an educated guess." said someone else. Beast?

"Vell vhat if it is cellular breakdown? Zen Vhat am I supposed to do?" asked Kurt. Kitty, Laura and Rogue all looked at each other, then pressed themselves against eh closed door again.

"Logan, is there any way you can get a hold of Nick Fury?" asked the Professor.

"I can try, no promises." said Wolverine.

"_Ja_, please try, I'd prefer to live." said Kurt.

"He's gonna die?" said Kitty quietly, shocked, Laura put a finger to her lips to tell her to be quiet, but Logan had heard her.

Wolverine opened the door, and glared at the three girls, "All of you know better, and yes half-pint, Kurt _might _ die_ if _he's experiencing cellular breakdown if I don't get through to Fury. You're all getting double training sessions for the next two weeks, except you Laura."

"Why doesn't she get punished?" said Kitty, "It was totally her idea."

"That you didn't try to stop me from carrying out." said Laura.

"Laura is getting triple sessions," finished Wolverine.

"Professor!" said Rogue

"Logan's right, you all know better than to eavesdrop, you also know that if it concerns you, you will be told. And Kurt, in light of this, I'm going to hold of talking to the school board until we know what is wrong with you for sure."

"Yes professor." All four of the mutant teens walked off together.

"Sorry for listening in, and getting you suspended." said Kitty, Rogue and X-23 also apologized for listening in.

"It's fine. And I got myself suspended Keety, so don't feel bad about it."

they all dispersed, but as Shadowcat was walking awayt she turned around for a moment,

"Hey Kurt?"

"Yeah?"

"You aren't really gonna die are you?"

" Ach, _Nien. _I'll be sure to tell you vhen I'm going to die though."

"Kurt! Not funny!" said Kitty, but she was smiling.

Steve couldn't help but think that this was his fault, sure, he hadn't invented the rebirth project, but he had agreed to participate. Granted, if he hadn't been Captain America someone else would've, but that hypothetical someone else might not have saved Erik Lensherr, then Erik lensherr wouldn't have ever tried to make someone else a mutant, or enhance himself. Which would mean Nightcrawler wouldn't be the way he was physically and wouldn't possibly be dying.

And Magneto also probably wouldn't have survived the war.

_Would it really be worth a life to prevent_ _all of this? _He knew the answer to that one, _no. If I had a chance to go back and not save Magneto as a child, I still would._

There was still that choice though, Institute, S.H.I.E.L.D, or just strike out on his own. Well, he still had time to think it over, besides he was supposed to be in the danger room with Logan.

About an hour later Cap and Logan had finished their training.

"Not bad Cap, but I remember you being faster." Said Logan.

"No, you used be slower." said Steve.

"You gonna stay or go with Fury when he comes fer ya?" asked Logan, never one to be subtle.

"I don't know yet, maybe I should just give up the whole superhero thing and live the rest of my life as just Steve Rogers."

"Yeah, and go mad from boredom. We both know that you would hate not doing anything with your powers."

"Have you talked to Fury yet?" asked Cap out of the blue.

"No."they both started to walk out of the Danger Room.

"Logan, is it, characteristic, of Magneto to offer something to someone and then drop it when they say no the first time?"

"Heck no. So I guess you'll have to be watching for him too."

"Yeah." _Sixty years, and Logan hasn't changed at all._

_You should just drop it Magnus._

_Why Charles? I have no reason to, he's a mutant and he hasn't decided what he wants to do yet. Perhaps it's just that you want him to stay with your X men?_

_If he chooses to go somewhere beside the Institute, it isn't my place to stop him. But I know you too wel Magnus, you'd try to force him to go with you, and that won't work Magnus._

_Oh really?_

_His other option is S.H.I.E.L.D._

_Well, I'll just have to be more persuasive than S.H.I.E.L.D_

_Magnus-_

Magneto cut himself off from Xavier. Xavier sighed and leaned back in his wheelchair, he sent out one last telepathic message, not even knowing if Magneto heard it.

_Please old friend, don't force this. Remember what happened when you tried to force me, and I refused, I lost my legs, What will you do If Steven says no?_

**Thank you all for the reveiws and ideas you've given me so far on this story! I am still open to any suggestions that readers might have!**


	6. Chapter 6

Wolverine knew how to get S.H.I.E.L.D's attention. One way was to cause an international incident, that always turned a few heads.

But that might be bad for the already touchy mutant situation.

Another way was to be an ex-operative who Fury owed a few favors. Fury didn't like owing anyone anything, so Wolverine knew how to get a hold of Nick.

"Are you sure it's the same thing?" asked Nick, It had been eight days since the night Kurt had woken up screaming, things had gotten worse, much quicker than they had for Steve. They were in a diner, by themselves, in a small town, in the middle of nowhere, owned by S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Yes. We need what you gave Cap for him." said Wolverine.

"It won't work." said Fury, "It was meant just for Cap, no one else. It's keyed to his exact genetic code."

"Why would it need to be that precise?" asked Logan.

Nick Fury looked at Wolverine, "I'm gonna tell you something, This is classified Logan."

"Isn't everything?" said Logan.

"Twenty-one years ago," continued Fury "S.H.I.E.L.D found a cure for Captain America, Officially this cure never existed, because it was never used, because would also cause him to lose his powers. So he was left in stasis and our scientists continued to look for a cure that would allow him to keep his powers. I might be able to get that-"

"You could have brought Cap back twenty-one years ago? And you didn't?" growled Logan.

"We wanted him to be able to keep his powers." said Fury.

"So you could have Captain America as an operative. Well guess what Fury, I think Steve Rogers has a right to know about this. I'm going to tell Cap about this, all of it."

"When I tell you something is classified Logan, I expect you not to tell anyone."

"Maybe you should stop expecting so much from me." said Logan standing, he began walking to the door.

"If you tell him, I won't get the cure for you. Your student, Nightcrawler, Kurt Wagner, will die."

Logan stopped, "Yeah,but I don't know if you can get a cure for Nightcrawler, or if he'll want it, it will take away his powers too."

"Yes, but he'll live. I'll give you a week."

"Fine." Logan left.

Cap was in the danger room with some of the students, it always amazed him just how adept these kids were.

It was a simple program. Get to the center of the room, past all of the obstacles, and throw the lever, but the difficulty level was six.

"Almost there!" yelled Kitty, walking through everything, she reached the center and unphased herself, then a metal tentacle slapped her across the room, Jean caught her with her powers.

Kurt tried, he teleported to the center, the platform gave away, he teleported away before hitting the floor.

Iceman, Multiple, Cyclops all tried at once, Cap tried too, he reached it, and pulled the lever.

The room started spinning, throwing him away from the center.

"Wahsn't the program sahposed ta shut down?" asked Rogue, traps started popping up.

"What now?" yelled Jean, she levitated herself, multiple, and Cyclops off the ground.

"Cap, help me vith zis!" said Kurt, he had gotten back to the center and was trying to push the lever back to how it had been before, but it wasn't moving.

Cap knew how to deal with nausea from constant motion, so he kept plowing forward, back to the center. When he got there, both he and Kurt pushed, and the lever moved back to how it had been. The spinning stopped, but the traps kept going, only more aggressively.

"Find some other trigger! A different lever maybe!" yelled Scott, then blasted a razor out of his way, then Bobby iced it.

Kurt looked at the lever, grabbed it and teleported away with it. The traps pulled themselves back in and the program shut down.

"Good call Nightcrawler." Said Storm, coming down, she had been in the booth, watching.

"Pulling the switch was supposed to shut the program down." said Cyclops.

"Cyclops, I would think that you, and everyone here, would know by now that nothing ever goes as planned. Ever, something unexpected always comes up."

"You now, maybe this is all outdated stuff from an old solider." said Cap, "But when I was on the field, I always had orders, there was a plan, or at least an outline. The best commanders gave a plan, but never got bent out of shape when the plan started falling apart, or turned out to be useless, leaving us to improvise."

"But did I do it right?" asked Nightcrawler, "Vas zat how ve vere supposed to shut it down?"

"Yeah, you all did fine. And you all have homework to finish up for class tomorrow." said Logan, entering the room, "You can go, except Rogue, Shadowcat, and X23."

Everyone left, Kurt was last out, when he doubled over and fell. They moved him to sickbay, and waited. Two hours later he was still out.

"And that's really it." said Logan, they had just finished explaining what happened to Kurt, because despite the attempt to keep it quiet, everyone found out anyway.

"So what now?" asked Amara.

"Kurt had woken up, but his condition will continue to deteriorate." said the Professor, "There is a cure, we are working on obtaining it."

Cap watched as the students processed this, he had heard about what these kids faced, danger, no-win situations that they somehow managed to win in, times when the fight they had to fight could end in their deaths. But somehow he saw in their faces complete shock at the idea that one of them was dying.

He knew that, when someone he knew was severely wounded,or sick, he knew the shock of it. Being a solider you knew that, and these teens, had been put in battle situations too also knew, that people could be hurt, or die, but you never were ready for it, you couldn't be.

The group eventually drifted off, he left too, not just the room, but the building, he took the motorcycle that he had gotten since being at the institute and went to the park where he had met Magneto, he parked it and went walking, just thinking.

"Hello Steven Rogers. Thought any about what I've said?" asked Magneto. He had been leaning against a tree. Two other men appeared, one probably not much older than some of the kids at the institute with shocking red-orange hair, the other was huge, with long, dirty, blond hair and a tattered trench-coat.

"Yes I have thought about it. I am a mutant, I will not work for you, and I'm going to stay with the X-men." he hadn't actually decided to until that moment.

"Obviously you haven't thought about this enough." said Magneto, advancing, "I know I'm not the only one who wants you, S.H.I.E.L.D does too. Well I have something they can't offer. I can give Kurt a cure, one that won't take away his powers. Don't be surprised, I have many ways of finding things out. Come work for me, and I'll give it to him."

"You're the reason he needs it." said Cap, stalling, "Besides, I don't have any reason to trust you."

Magneto spoke again, "Last chance, You could be more than just Captain America, a relic from the past, you could be a hero for the whole world, helping usher in the new world, where _homo superior_ can reach the full potential that evolution intended it too."

"You really are a Hitler if you're so deluded to think that the whole world is going to accept your _theory_ of the superiority of mutants, or that you can beat down regular humans if they don't. You've said it's different, but your ideas really are just like Hitler's idea of a master race."

Magneto's face hardened, "I hope you'll remember, this was your choice." he lifted his hand and Caps bike came flying at his head, he raced out of his way, only to have the redheaded boy throw fire at him somehow. He dodge that, the the large man, he wasn't ready for the exploding card that landed at his feet, he wasn't even sure where it came from. He was thrown down hard, hitting his head an breaking his ankle. Magneto and the large man stood over him, he knew that either something large and metal was going to hit him or the large man would strangle him.

Neither happened, instead he smelled something he knew the smell, knockout gas. He held his breath and pulled his shirt over his face. Magneto didn't, he and the redhead fell unconscious. The large man took longer, but he did too.

Finally, Cap uncovered his face and let out his breath, assuming that in this open space, there wouldn't be any more, to avoid knocking out passerby.

No such luck.

He breathed in too much before he could hold his breath again, he slipped into unconsciousness, not even knowing who had done this, or why.

**I'll get the next chapter up soon, I promise.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's another chapter, as promised! And even thought Remy talks in this one, I'm not doing his or Pyro's accents because I don't know how.**

Remy groaned and looked around, he was laying by a tree, he had jumped out of it, right? Not fallen. No one else was around, he remembered the gas, he had been farther away and had had a chance to breath in one more lungful of clean air, then hold it. They hadn't been after Magneto, had they? No. the more he thought, and tried to piece together his last blurry thoughts and what he'd seen before passing out, the more he thought he knew who did this.

S.H.I.E.L.D

"Uuuughhhh." someone groaned. Gambit looked, Pyro, how had me missed him before?

"Hey, you okay?" asked Gambit, standing over his friend.

"Yeah, where'd Mags go?"

"I don't know" Gambit tried his communicator, no answer.

"Who knocked us out?"

"Not sure, I think it was S.H.I.E.L.D. I'll imagine they were after the Captain." said Remy. He started to walk away.

"And what if they have the boss and Sabes too?" Asked Pyro.

"Not our problem, be happy they left us." said Remy.

"Well don't we have to save them, or something like that?" asked Pyro, "I mean, how hard could it be to burn our way into S.H.I.E.L.D?"

Remy turned around and looked at the younger mutant, "Very hard, now drop it and let's go back to the base."

"No! I wanna go save Mags, and Sabes and Cap!" said Pyro, "And I'll cry and set the park on fire if you don't help me."

"Then the park will have to burn." said Remy and he left.

Pyro sat down on the ground and thought about what to do. He really didn't care about Sabertooth, or Mags much either. But he had heard stories about Captain America, and decided he deserve saving. Yes he had tried to burn him, but he wouldn't just come work for Magneto (Pyro had really been looking forward to having a new teammate, he had even needed to be sedated after finding to keep him form burning something in his excitement, but this happened on a weekly basis. )And when Mags escaped, if he hadn't tried to save him, Magneto would be mad.

"Well I can't do it by myself, Remy's not gonna help, and Pete's in Russia!" said Pyro to himself, he talked to himself a lot.

"Wait a minute, the x-men! The Captain was staying with them, right? Well they might help, yeah I'm sure they will!" he started running down the street in the direction he assumed the mansion was.

_Good thing I'm in street clothes, I'd make a sight in my uniform, now, what will I say? 'Hi I'm Pyro, but you already know that because-_ he stopped running

_You already know that because I've tried to kill you a few times. Well, they're not gonna like me, but they're my bestest shot,_he started running again.

* * *

Logan had been looking for Steve, he had been gone for hours, he would never say it aloud, but he was getting worried.

The doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" said Kitty cheerfully, she opened it.

"Hi, I-"

SLAM

"Pyro." said Wolverine.

"How you'd know?"

"I can smell him."

"Thanks for telling me after I answered the door."

DING DING DING DING

the doorbell rang again and again. Kitty opened it

"When someone slams a door in your face they want you to go away!" she yelled and slammed it again.

"Who was that?" asked Magma.

"Pyro."

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Magma opened the door.

"Twenty seconds Pyro, then I slam the door too." she said,

"Right, twenty seconds. I was in the park with Magneto and Captain America was there, and Mags talked to him then he told me to blow fire at him and then we all were knocked out and then I woke up and Remy told me S.H.I.E.L.D knocked us out, an-"

"Stop there." said Logan. Pyro stopped abruptly. "S.H.I.E.L.D has Cap?"

"Yup. And I decided I wanted to rescue him and Mags, oh! And Sabertooth too I guess, if they didn't get rid of him. If I was S.H.I.E.L.D I would, he's awful!"

"I'm going to go tell the Professor." said Amara.

* * *

Just a little bit later they were all in the War Room, all of the X-men, and Pyro.

"So that's really all that happened, so someone has Cap, probably maybe S.H.I.E.L.D, and maybe Magneto and Sabertooth, but not me and Gambit, who's being a stick in the mud and not helping."

finished Pyro.

"So what now?" asked Cyclops, "I mean, does Cap even need rescuing?"

"He was kidnapped, and there isn't any solid evidence saying who." said Wolverine, "Might be S.H.I.E.L.D, might be someone else. But I'm willing to bet S.H.I.E.L.D, and I think I know where they would have taken him."

"Let's go then!" said Pyro.

"Not yet." said the Professor, "We don't know all the details, or S.H.I.E.L.D's intent. I suggest only a few of you go, ready to talk, or mount a rescue mission."

"Against S.H.I.E.L.D?" asked Rogue.

"Yes." the the Professor, "And I want Logan,Scott, Rogue, and Kurt to go. And Pyro as well."

"Professor, can I go too? I mean, I can't, like, give a reason or anything, but," Kitty said

"Yes, you may go as well. Get suited up and leave as soon as you can."

* * *

"So why do ya whant ta rescue Magneto?" asked Rogue, they were in the jet. She was sitting next to Pyro, who was wearing a new recruit uniform and playing with a lighter.

"Well, I don't want him to mad if he escapes and finds out I didn't try to rescue him. And I guess I maybe kinda, possibly owe him one. He rescued me."

"From what?" asked Shadowcat.

"Longish story, I accidentally burned down my middle school when I got my powers. That combined with my ADHD and a few other things, one being that my parents couldn't deal with my energy level too well and I got told to sit still and be quiet, whether or not my meds had kicked in, maybe I was a little looney. Sooooo, I ended up in an insane asylum, oh excuse me, _mental institution_, I think I got nuttier in there then when I was before. Then a little bit after my 16th Birthday, Mags found me somehow, and broke me out. And he had that Mastermind fellow get rid of some of the madness, and I became an acolyte, mostly because I couldn't be anything else. That's the end of the life story of St. John Allerdyce."

"Your name is _Saint_ John?" said Kurt

"Hey, I didn't pick it."

"How old are you Pyro?" asked Kitty.

"Seventeen."

"So your an acolyte because you have to be?" asked Scott.

"Yup, but it's not so bad."

"Look, this is probably a very big mistake, but you could join the X-men" said Scott.

"No he couldn't" said Logan.

"If the Professor lets him, he can." said Scott.

"Thanks for the offer, but a lot of you hate me, so it might be a bad idea." said Pyro, he continued to play with his lighter. Kitty opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off.

"We're here, be ready." said Logan, "Because right now, we're in S.H.I.E.L.D airspace, and they hardly ever take kindly to trespassers."


	8. Chapter 8

**Here you all go. As always, Enjoy, 'cause seriously, if you aren't enjoying it, why are you reading it?**

_Wolverine, I know it's you. Get out of our airspace or explain yourself._ Nick Fury said over the radio.

"You have Cap, you kidnapped him, and we wanna know why."

_He's fine, just a complication. And you told him about the other cure, I told you not to do that Wolverine._

"It was an accident, I told the Professor, and he walked in. And what do you mean, complication?"

_We found out the cure we gave him isn't permanent_

* * *

Pyro looked around, they were in S.H.I.E.L.D Headquarters. It was huge.

They entered a room with a table and a large screen. Cap was sitting at the table

"Hi." he said, he saw Pyro, "So, what's your name, and what's a nice kid like you doing working for Magneto?"

"I'm Saint John Allerdyce, otherwise known as Pyro, and why I work for Magneto is a longish story."

"So the cure not gonna last Fury? That's convenient." said Wolverine, walking strait up to the director of S.H.I.E.L.D "'Cause if Cap has to come back for doses, why not make joining S.H.I.E.L.D a requirement to get them?" Wolverine glared at Fury, daring him to answer

"We aren't here to fight, we were here to see if Cap was okay, and if they had Magneto." said Scott, "Cap's okay, but he needs more treatment, and we don't know about Magneto yet. Besides, only Pyro cares."

"And only half care!" Pyro piped up.

"We had Magneto and Sabertooth, they got away before we even got here." said Fury "And Wolverine. If I was almost any other person on the planet, I would make Cap join S.H.I.E.L.D to get the cure. But I owe him something."

"What?" asked Cap.

"My existence. You save my father, Jack as a young man, before he was married, and before I was born. Most likely more than once."

"Yeah, he saved Magneto too, that didn't stop him." grumbled Wolverine.

Nick turn around and looked at Nightcrawler. "Did Wolverine tell you about the other cure?"

"_Ja_. But, vell, vill it change how I look too?" he asked.

"It's never been tested, if we can get a blood sample from you, we can see exactly the effects it will have."

Kurt looked at his friends, then back at Fury. "Okay." he said.

"Good. Come on, let's go." he steered Kurt toward the door, Wolverine went with them.

"Well that was easy." said Kitty.

"So Cap, what are you going to do?" asked Cyclops

"If you guys are willing to put up with me, I thought I'd stay with the X-men." he said.

"Sweet!" said Kitty "That's awesome Cap! Does the Professor know?"

"I'll tell him when we get back." said Cap. "I guess it's all turning out then."

"Yes, very nice." said Someone. They turned, the doors had been forced open and there stood Magneto.

"Who'd you get here?" asked Scott, his hand going to his visor.

"It's very simple really. Pyro."

"You!" Rogue turned to face the boy.

"I didn't do anything! Honest! Really!"

"He didn't. He's implanted with a tracking device." said Magneto, "Of course, until now he had no clue about it."

"Ohhhh" said Pyro.

"Outta the way Slim." said Sabertooth to Cyclops.

"No."

"Magneto." said Cap standing, " I know you're here because of me, but why? To try to convince me one more time? To knock me out then brainwash me into working for you? To kill me?"

"Nothing so extreme as killing you, Captain America" said Magneto, "However, you will come with me."

"You know I won't come willingly, so it's brainwashing, I'm sure anyone who would put a tracking device in a kid without telling him isn't above it."

"Where you think you're going girly?" said Sabertooth, Kitty was trying to slip past them

"To get Wolverine, Kurt, and Fury!" she phased through him and ran down the hall

"Hey someone! Wolverine! Kurt! Mr. Fury!" she kept yelling, Sabertooth running after her.

"Now, Mister Summers, step out of the way." said Magneto

"Not in this lifetime."

"Fine. Pyro." Pyro flicked open his lighter, and made a large fireball. Stared at it and said

"They helped me. I like burnin' stuff, but I don't wanna burn Cyclops."

"You will." said Magneto, He raised a hand

"AH!" Pyro felt a sharp pain in his back, he then was slammed against a wall.

"Waht are ya doing ta him?" demanded Rogue,she ran over to Magneto, A chair flew at her

_Gotta help them! _Thought Cap, suddenly pain shot through him too, he doubled over, the recurring cellular breakdown causing him pain again.

"Uh." said Pyro, slumping.

"Pyro, now that you have been reminded of what I can do, you will take care of Cyclops." Cyclops Shot a laser blast at Magneto, Metal from the floor flew up and deflected it.

"Thaht's why ya didn't wanna join the X-men." said Rgue, getting up, "Not 'cause people might not like ya, but because you've got Mehtal in ya back so Magneto can control you, I bet all the acolyte's do.

"Only Pyro, He was too, unpredictable." said Magneto. Scott prepared to shoot again, his visor flew off his face.

Cap started to get up.

"Now, Steven Rogers, you will come with me, or perhaps I will resort to killing someone."

* * *

"MISTER LOGAN!" yelled Kitty, why were there no people? Why?

Smoke filled the corridor, it smelled funny. Kitty felt tired, and dizzy

knockout gas?

She phased herself, because when she was phased, she was immaterial and things like knockout gas, or smoke took longer to affect her.

Sabertooth crumpled into an unconscious heap on the floor.

The gas cleared, just in time, Kitty felt like she was going to pass out. She saw Wolverine.

"Half-pint, what are yer doing here?" he asked

"Magneto, here, Cap." there been too much phasing and too much gas, she fell unconscious.

* * *

"So you'd kill a mutant teenager just to get me?" said Cap. "So much for unity."

Scott listened carefully, if he could figure out where Magneto and Cap were, he might be able to hit Magneto without hitting Cap. It was a longshot, but Rogue was out cold, Magneto could seriously injure, or maybe even kill Pyro if he tried anything, and there was no guarantee that Shadowcat would find help.

"Hands in the air!" yelled someone,

_this would be easier of I could see_

"You really think You can harm me?"

"We can with this squad, everything is plastic with them." Said Fury.

Magneto glared, metal in the room went flying at he armed men, they started shooting, eventually hitting Magneto, how was thrown against a wall.

"Hey, stop!" said Cap, he walked over to Magneto, it was obvious he didn't feel good. He helped the man up.

"Listen everyone. He broke into here to get me, I'm here so I get be given medicine, and because Fury wants me to join S.H.I.E.L.D. I was going to stay with the X-men, but now, I think I'm gonna take option four or five.

"And what are they?" asked Fury.

"Option four, take the older cure, lose my powers, live like a normal person. Option five, Let me... degeneration run it's course, die." he looked at Magneto, "Please, leave."

Magneto looked at him, "Only because you saved my life, I owe you this." A whole tore itself in the metal roof, he flew up through it.

_Fury, Sabertooth is gone, Magneto's got him. _Said someone over radio.

"Let them go." he looked at Steve, "Well Rogers, if normalcy is what you want I'll see what I can do, you realize you're gonna be abandoning the world right?"

"The world doesn't need me as Captain America anymore."

"AUUUHHHH!" Kurt clutch his stomach, he fell down unconscious.

"Elf, Get up!" said Logan, when Nightcrawlwer didn't, he picked him up.

"Logan, does need it?"

"He was out for an hour last timean was okay." he said

"Two hours to get it ready."

"Do it Fury."

"Follow me, all of you." they followed Fury.

"Do what?" asked Scott, helping Rogue,

"Prepare a cryonic suspension unit. They can't give him a cure yet, it's not ready, and he could die before they can."

"It was a awhile before it got this bad for me." said Cap.

"Yeah, well you were Captain America for two years, He's been like this his whole life, It's different for him."

"Should I contact the Professor?" asked Cyclops.

"Yeah," said Logan, looking at the mutant teen he was carrying. "Tell him everything that's happened, and that we're gonna be gone longer than we planned."

**The next chapter will probably be the last, I'll get to work on it right away so you don't have to wait too long.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Last Chapter **

Kitty sat by Kurt, her best friend. He was in cryonic suspension, they had to keep him that way until they could give him a cure that would save his life, and take away his powers.

"They'll be able to give it to you soon Kurt." she said, even though he couldn't hear her. "This is totally selfish, but I hope it only takes away your powers, not your looks, then you can stay at the institute, and everything will be normal again, you'll see."

Logan and Cap watched from the doorway.

"You ever do that Logan?" asked Cap

"Yeah." Logan never would have told anyone else that.

"Would all of you come out here." said Nick Fury, it might have been phrased like a question, but it wasn't.

All of the X-men present came into the other room with Fury, plus Cap and Pyro.

"I've got bad news, and more bad news." said Fury "We can't give Nightcrawler the cure.

"What?" asked both Rogue and Kitty.

"Because his mutation also dominates his looks, it would tear him apart, literally." said Fury. "I'm sorry."

"What's the other bad news?" asked Cyclops

"We can't give it to Cap either, because of the other cure we gave him."

"How long do I have to live?" asked Cap.

"Five months, maybe less." said Fury. "Listen, we'll keep working on a new cure, But in the meantime, I've already talked to Professor Xavier, We're gonna move Kurt back to the Institute."

"And that's where I'm gonna go too." said Cap, "If I'm gonna die, I'd like to spend the last part of my life there."

* * *

It had been a week.

It was still hard for the students at the Institute to accept that Kurt might not ever come back. Someone was almost always room with him, Almost all of them talked to him.

Xavier took Kurt out of Bayville high. Cyclops didn't like it.

"It's like accepting he's gonna be suspended like this, forever, like he's dead." said Scott

Cap spent a lot of time with Kurt. He of course couldn't remember being suspended, but he still felt like he could understand, waking up and finding time had passed, even if Kurt could be brought back earlier than he had been, it would still be strange, even if just a year passed, thtat was a lot for a sixteen year old. He'd wake up to find that his friends were all older, that they had grown and changed over a year, and he hadn't. Cap understood that, only he'd had Wolverine, Kurt wouldn't have someone like that. He was the only one that could understand what Kurt's life would be like when he woke up., and to think, he hated the German mutant when he had first come to the Institute.

* * *

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Kitty answered the door, she didn't want to, because then she'd have to talk to someone, and she didn't feel like talking

Pyro was on the other side

"What?" she said.

"I have something for the Professor." said Pyro

"What is it?"

"Instructions on how to make a cure for Kurt and Cap."

* * *

"I've been looking for them ever since S.H.I.E.L.D." Said John. "I finally found them on the computer and burned them. Onto a disc I mean. It's suppose to cure cellular breakdown without side affects." he took a disc out of his pocket. "But there's something I want in return."

"What is it?" asked the Professor

"I want you to help me get the metal that Magneto put in me and the tracking chip out, and I wanna join the X-men." he said.

"Can you follow our rules?"

"Yeah, I'm sure I can." said Pyro

"Fine, We'll do an X-ray to locate all the metal, and the tracking device." The Professor took the disc. "But first I have to give this to Hank."

* * *

**Three weeks later.**

Pyro flopped on his bed, after they had removed the tracking device, and the metal from his back, wrists, ankles, and waist he had officially moved into the Institute. Being an X-man was tough, They had made him a fire-pack like he'd had before, but he could only have it during missions.(which he'd had none.)and training (which he had too much of). And he had to go to school. He had taught himself some stuff while he was an acolyte, so he was high school level, but he had to start as a sophomore instead of in senior year with everyone else his age.

Not many of the people at the institute liked him at first, but now all of them at least tolerated him. And he even had friends, in particular, Roberto and Bobby. And Amara was nice to him too, she was cool. Of course anyone who could set themselves on fire was instantly awesome in his book

He flicked his lighter open, he liked the flame, he wasn't supposed to use it in his room, but he started making little shapes with it.

_John, come downstairs to the lab please._

* * *

"So it's finally gonna work!" said Pyro, he was talking about the cure, Beast had been working on it, testing it and making sure it would work on both Cap and Kurt. Pyro had asked to be told when it was ready.

"Yes, And Cap in the infirmary, waiting to be given it." said Beast.

"Tell him Best of Luck and all that from me!" said Pyro.

The Professor smiled, Pyro was extremely energetic, friendly, and enthusiastic. He was a lot like Kurt.

* * *

Kurt woke up, he was in the infirmary, a gas mask over his face, making him breath something in.

The room was packed, it looked like everyone was there. Right by the bed was Xavier, Kitty, Rogue, Logan, Jean, Scott, Storm, Beast, and Cap,

"How are you feeling Kurt?" asked the Professor, "Just nod, no talking." Kurt nodded yes.

"Good, you're breathing in the cure right now, Magneto invented it. John-Pyro-gave it to us."

"That enough." said Beast, he removed the mask from Kurt's face.

"The last thing I remember vas S.H.I.E.L.D." he said.

"Elf," said Logan "That was a month ago. We've had you cryonically suspended since then, so you wouldn't die. "

"Oh."

"Did it work?" asked Rogue

Beast looked at the monitoring device Kurt was hook up to. "Yes."

The room suddenly got very loud.

"Everyone settle down!" the Professor practically yelled the room got quiet again.

"I know you're all very happy about this, But it's seven-fifty and school starts at eight-thirty and I know that most of you aren't ready. Please go get ready, Kurt will be out of bed this afternoon, you can see him then."

People started to leave, Kurt caught a glance of orange-red hair.

"Vas zat Pyro?"

"Yeah," said Kitty, "He's here now too." she leaned over and hugged Kurt. "I'm so glad you're okay." then she left.

* * *

Cap left a few days later. He, The Professor, and Logan had discussed it and he had decided to join S.H.I.E.L.D of course, he'd given Fury one condition. He could leave whenever he wanted, for a break, or forever. Fury had agreed.

"_Lebewohl_ Cap." said Kurt

"Bye Nightcrawler."

"See ya Rogers."

"Bye Logan, I'll come back for a bit in a few months."

"Sure." Logan smiled, so did Cap. He said goodbye to everyone else, then went outside, There was a helicopter waiting to take him to S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters. He got in and it took off, he looked at the Institute as it got smaller as they got farther away, until finally he couldn't see it anymore.

"I'm going to go in, I have to get ready for school tomorrow." said Kurt, he teleported away.

Logan stayed outside a minute longer. He started walking inside

_Goodbye, Captain America._

**The End**

**A huge thanks to all my readers, Especially those who review. Thanks for reading!**

**~Remi-it-is-a-girl's-name**


End file.
